Page 40 of Decoding Emma
He opened his eyes.“Home?”
“Yes.Come on, big boy.”Seatbelt released, I encouraged him to get out of the car.I gripped him around the waist, holding on to the waistband of his pants.With slow steps, we made it to the front door.
Oh boy, another keypad.I should have guessed Asher would have some kind of smart house.“Code for the door.”
“One, five, three, seven, four.”
I was glad he was coherent enough to give me the codes.I heard the lock click, and I opened the door.A beeping started.“Asher, alarm code.”
“Seventeen, twenty, and five.”
Punching it in, I was glad the beeping stopped.The last thing we needed was the police showing up.
The foyer was large, but I didn’t really look around.“Bedroom?”I asked.
“In the back, down the hallway.”
Figures it would be all the way in the back.He was getting heavier by the minute.As we made our way down the hallway, I noticed he had low level track lighting, so I didn’t have to worry about bumbling around in the dark.
I was happy when we made it to his bedroom.I froze for a second when I walked into the room.Hell, this was huge.
There was a king-sized bed, and I guided him to it.Asher flopped down on his back.I sighed.As lean as the man looked, he was heavy.He looked uncomfortable with his legs hanging off the bed.
I knelt down and removed his shoes and socks, then swung them up onto the bed.I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up when I saw him.He was sprawled out now.At least it was a king bed, so he had room.
I grabbed a pillow and carefully put it under his head.Next, water and ibuprofen.He was more than likely going to have a hangover in the morning.I almost felt sorry for him.
When I’d found everything, I put both items on the nightstand next to his bed.While it was almost summer, the nights were still cool.Just in case, there was a blanket at the end of the bed and I pulled it from under his feet, shook it out, and placed it where he could easily reach it.Then I left the room.
I paused.“Should I stay?”I muttered to myself then answered my own question.“Nope.Asher can take care of himself.”
I turned out most of the lights, leaving one on in the ensuite bathroom, one in the hallway, and one in the foyer, set the lock, let myself out of the house, and drove home.
Chapter Seventeen
Asher
“Fuck,” I muttered.There was a marching band playing in my head.I opened my eyes and noticed a glass of water and two tablets on my nightstand.I sat up carefully, grabbed the pain killers and the water, and downed them.
How the hell did I get home last night?The events after Cassie telling us we’d had enough beer were fuzzy.A shower would help.I forced myself to move.My pants pulled around my legs.
Hell.I’d slept in my clothes.I hadn’t done that since college.I started to shake my head, but pain flashed through my brain.Okay, so slow and easy.It took me longer than I expected to get into the bathroom.
I turned on the shower, stripped, and stepped into the enclosure.Warm water cascaded over my body.I ducked my head under the shower, which mercifully, started to clear some of the cobwebs.
By the time I was out of the shower, my headache had begun to ease, and the events of last night were becoming clearer.
Emma.
She’d helped me leave the pub, drove me home, and got me into bed.It was more than I deserved.I was hammered last night.That wasn’t like me at all.Was it because all of us had been together for the first time in a while?Or because I wanted nothing better than to sweep Emma into my arms and kiss her silly, but I had to take it slow.
The mere thought made me smile.Yeah, I’d briefly thought about pulling her into my arms last night and kissing her, but something held me back.Maybe because I knew I’d had too much to drink and it wouldn’t be a good idea.
I walked carefully back into my bedroom and dressed.Food and more water.I made my way down the hallway and stopped when I saw Emma in my kitchen.There was music playing on low volume.The rush from the surprise ratcheted up my headache.I cleared my throat.
Emma turned.“Good morning.”
“Not yet.I’ll let you know after the marching band in my head stops playing.What are you doing here?”My voice was scratchy.
